1. The Department shall, to the extent money is available, award grants of money to school districts, sponsors of charter schools and nonprofit organizations to support prekindergarten programs. Each prekindergarten program supported by a grant awarded pursuant to this section must:

(a) Employ at least one teacher per classroom who has a bachelor’s degree or higher in early childhood education and compensate those teachers with pay and benefits similar to those provided to licensed teachers by the school district in which the prekindergarten program is located;

(b) Serve children who are 4 years of age at the beginning of the school year and whose household has a household income which is not more than 200 percent of the federally designated level signifying poverty;

(c) Provide instruction in prekindergarten for at least 25 hours each week for the entire school year;

(d) Utilize a comprehensive curriculum for prekindergarten that is aligned to any standards of content and performance established for prekindergarten pursuant to NRS 389.520;

(e) Maintain the size of each class at not more than 20 pupils and a ratio of not more than 10 pupils for each adult with supervision in the classroom;

(f) Participate in any evaluation of the program or the pupils who participate in the program that is prescribed by the regulations adopted pursuant to NRS 387.656;

(g) Effectively engage the parents or guardians of pupils and participate in any evaluation of such engagement that is required by the regulations adopted pursuant to NRS 387.656;

(h) Serve pupils with disabilities at a rate that is not less than the percentage of pupils in this State or in the United States, whichever is greater, who are 4 years of age at the beginning of the school year who receive services funded pursuant to 20 U.S.C. § 1419;

(i) Ensure that the percentage of pupils with disabilities in each class is less than 49 percent of the total number of pupils;

(j) Provide appropriate individualized accommodations and supports for pupils with disabilities;

(k) Provide the comprehensive services prescribed pursuant to NRS 387.656; and

(l) Meet the minimum standards of performance prescribed pursuant to NRS 387.656.

2. The board of trustees of a school district, the sponsor of a charter school or a nonprofit organization that wishes to receive a grant of money pursuant to this section must submit an application to the Department. The application must include, without limitation:

(a) A detailed description of the manner in which the board of trustees, sponsor of a charter school or nonprofit organization proposes to:

(1) Ensure that the prekindergarten program supported by the grant meets the requirements of subsection 1; and

(2) Use the grant of money; and

(b) Any other information required by the Department.

(Added to NRS by 2019, 3981)